House of prayer...or den of robbers...?!?

Gospel Matthew 21:12-17

[12]Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. [13]He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it a den of robbers." [14]The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. [15]But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they became angry [16]and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself'?" [17]He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

I think we must spend some serious time considering what our "den of robbers" is in the church today.  I am not looking for perfection here.  But a serious look at reality is necessary.  Some serious prayer is necessary.

Have you looked at the Book of  Common Worship lately?  Did you know there are morning, midday, and evening prayers?  What does the "house of prayer" look like in church today?

I wonder if the program-oriented infusion in church will stand the test of time.  It sure is fun for the kids, but are they really learning the important foundation of church?  Or are they just having fun? 

Perhaps one question to ask each time a new program begs to be born should be, "Does this program support a house of prayer, or does it support a den of robbers?" 

Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!!